This application is based on application Ser. Nos. 10-053206, 10-177662, and 10-279522 filed in Japan, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a user interface in an electrical appliance and a personal computer, and relates to a broadcast receiving apparatus that is provided with a user interface.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
An electrical appliance such as a television set, a video cassette recorder, and an air conditioner is equipped with buttons, and the like for receiving user instructions on the main body or the remote controller.
Each of the buttons typically corresponds to one function of the electrical appliance, and is provided with characters or a mark that read or indicates the content of the function. The user pushes a button to have the electrical appliance perform a corresponding function.
With the diversification of uses, multi-featured electrical appliances have been developed in order to meet user needs for more useful and complex functions.
As a result, the number of buttons on the main body or the remote controller increases, leading to a bulky remote controller, which is inconvenient to carry. In addition, it takes much time for the user to find the button corresponding to a desired function.
One proposed solution to these problems is an operation panel on a multi-featured electric appliance that is realized by a software.
The operation panel is a graphical user interface. More specifically, an electric appliance is equipped with an image displaying unit or the monitor on the appliance on which an image is output is used as an image displaying unit, and button images are displayed on the image displaying unit under the control of a software. The user designates one position on the image displaying unit using the remote controller and the like to select one of the button images. Here, a xe2x80x9cbutton imagexe2x80x9d refers to an image that has the same function as a button.
The operation panel displays the button images corresponding to the multiple functions so that the button images would be systematized in a hierarchical menus. As a result, the user may select each of the functions even if the number of button images displayed on the image displaying unit at one time is limited due to the resolution constraints. Here, a xe2x80x9cmenuxe2x80x9d refers to all the button images displayed on the image displaying unit at one time.
More specifically, the software that realizes the operation panel systematizes the multiple functions in a tree structure and displays the corresponding button images on the image displaying unit so that hierarchical menus would be displayed according to the tree structure. As a result, when selecting a function that is positioned at a relatively lower level in a tree structure, the user has to repeat the selection of a button image corresponding to a function that is positioned at a higher level than a button image corresponding to the desired function until the desired button image is displayed on the image displaying unit.
FIG. 1 shows a video system 9000, which is an example of a conventional electrical appliance equipped with an operation panel that displays a hierarchical menus.
The video system 9000 includes a video recording and replaying apparatus 9100, a monitor 9200, and a remote controller 9300.
Here, the video recording and replaying apparatus 9100 has functions for recording programs, replaying recorded programs, and displaying the replayed programs. The video recording and replaying apparatus 9100 detects signals transmitted from the remote controller 9300, performs the functions according to the signals, outputs signals to the monitor 9203 for displaying the operation panel on the monitor 9200, and outputs TV signals to the monitor 9200 for replaying and displaying recorded programs.
An operation panel 9210 displayed on the image displaying unit of the monitor 9200 is realized by a software in the video recording and replaying apparatus 9100, and includes a cursor 9211, button images 9212 xe2x80x9creplayxe2x80x9d, 9213 xe2x80x9cpreset for recordingxe2x80x9d, 9214 xe2x80x9crecordingxe2x80x9d, 9215 xe2x80x9cTVxe2x80x9d, and 9216 xe2x80x9csettingxe2x80x9d.
The remote controller 9300 receives the user instruction and transmits the signals representing the instruction to the video recording and replaying apparatus 9100. The remote controller 9300 includes remote control buttons 9310, 9320, 9330, and 9340 for moving the cursor 9211 on the operation panel 9210, and a remote control button 9350 for determining the selection of a button image indicated by the cursor 9211. For instance, when the user pushes the remote control button 9330, the cursor 9211 moves down one line.
FIG. 2 shows a hierarchical structure of function items displayed on the operation panel 9210 as button images.
As shown in FIG. 2, the function items are related to each other so that the function items would form a tree structure. For instance, the function item xe2x80x9cdetect and replayxe2x80x9d is a subitem of the function item xe2x80x9creplayxe2x80x9d in the tree structure.
When the user selects a button image on the operation panel 9210, the display on the operation panel 9210 is changed according to the hierarchical structure shown in FIG. 2.
When the user wants the video system 9000 to display a TV program, the processings described below are performed.
The user pushes the remote control button 9340, with watching the operation panel 9210 as shown in FIG. 1. In response to the user instruction, the cursor 9211 on the operation panel 9210 moves to the right and indicates the button image 9215 xe2x80x9cTVxe2x80x9d.
Then the user pushes the remote control button 9350 to select the button image 9215. As a result, a TV program is displayed on the 9200.
A conventional electrical appliance equipped with an above-described operation panel, however, raises a new problem that it is difficult for the user to easily select a desired function from a hierarchical menus. For instance, when the user has little knowledge of the hierarchical structure of the electrical appliance functions, it is difficult for the user to select a function that is positioned at a relatively lower level of the structure.
In addition, when an electrical appliance is equipped with combined or special functions even for the convenience of the user, it is difficult to form an easy-to-understand hierarchical menus including these functions. In this case, even if hierarchical menus including these combined or special functions are formed, the structure of the hierarchical menus is complex. As a result, it is difficult for the user to be familiar with the hierarchical structure and to easily select a function from the menus.
For instance, when the function structure of an electrical appliance has the highest menu including the same functions as the video system 9000 (refer to FIG. 1), and when the electrical appliance is equipped with a combined function xe2x80x9cdelete information on replayed programxe2x80x9d, it is difficult for the user to specify the menu in the hierarchical structure that includes the combined function. When the electrical appliance is equipped with a special function xe2x80x9cswitch to a favorite programxe2x80x9d, it is difficult to include the special function in a menu in a normal hierarchical structure. Even if the special function is included in a menu in a hierarchical structure, it is difficult for the user to specify the menu that includes the special function.
Similar problem also arises for a multi-featured personal computer.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a user interface apparatus that enables the user to easily designate a desired function of an electric appliance or a personal computer with high probability.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a user interface apparatus that suggests the user instructing a special function when necessary, and to provide a broadcast receiving apparatus equipped with the user interface apparatus.
The above-mentioned first object may be achieved by a user interface apparatus that receives a user operation of an electrical device and notifies the electrical device of an execution instruction relating to an action according to the user operation, the user interface apparatus may include: a predicting unit for predicting at least one action, an execution of which is supposed to be desired by a user; a user interface unit for providing a user interface in order to have the user designate one out of the actions that have been predicted by the predicting unit, and for receiving a designation of an action by the user; and a notifying unit for notifying the electrical device of an execution instruction relating to an action according to the user action designation that has been received by the user interface unit.
A system equipped with the user interface apparatus according to the present invention predicts functional actions that the user would desire, so that the user easily instructs the execution of a functional action with high probability. The system provides a user interface with which a functional action is not necessarily searched for from hierarchical menus and is executed only with a designation by the user, so that the user may easily instruct the execution of a functional action. Note that the prediction in this specification means to specify functional actions that are not directly designated by the user according to, for instance, the condition of an electrical device and information that the user has input.
In addition, with the user interface apparatus according to the present invention, it is possible to recommend the execution of a functional action, for instance, to recommend the execution of a functional action that leads to the release of a system resource when the system resource is not sufficient. As a result, it is possible to have the user easily instruct the execution of a functional action that the user does not desire at present but would desire when recommended.
A system equipped with the user interface apparatus, wherein the user interface unit automatically provides the user interface without being instructed by the user may predict functional actions and voluntarily provide a user interface including choices of the predicted functional actions without user requirement, so that the execution instruction of a functional action that is not necessarily executed may be recommended. As a result, a user who is not familiar with the functions of the system may easily use the system. Note that the voluntarily providing of a user interface unit that the system provides a user interface not according to a user instruction but with a predetermined timing.
The user interface apparatus that may further include user information storage unit for storing user information that is peculiar to the user, wherein the predicting unit predicts the actions according to the user information after a condition of the electrical device becomes a predetermined condition may predict actions of an electrical device according to the conditions peculiar to the user to recommend the optimal action of the electrical device to the user. As a result, the user may easily have the electrical device execute the action that is optimal to the user. In other words, the present invention provides a user interface that has not general actions for all users but actions peculiar to one user be designated. As a result, the second object is achieved.
The user interface apparatus, wherein the user information is taste information on tastes of the user, and the predicting unit predicts actions that meet the tastes of the user according to the taste information may predict actions of an electrical device according to the tastes of the user to recommend the actions of the electrical device that are supposed to be desired by the user. As a result, when storing information on the user tastes in the user information storage unit, the user may be provided with a unit of easily instructing an action that meets the user tastes.
The user interface apparatus, wherein the user information is behavioral information on habitual behavior of the user, and the predicting unit predicts actions that are necessary to keep the habitual behavior of the user according to the behavioral information may predict actions of an electrical device according to information on the habitual behavior of the user to recommend actions of an electrical device according to the habitual behavior of the user. As a result, the user may have the electrical device execute an action that is necessary to keep the user habitual behavior only by designating an action.
With the user interface apparatus, wherein the user interface unit provides the user interface by displaying at least one image in order to have the user designate one out of the actions that have been predicted by the predicting unit, wherein the image displayed in the user interface includes an image that shows a reason why the action has been predicted, a button image in a graphical user interface may include a reason. As a result, the user may understand the reason of the sudden appearance of a button image without confusion.
The user interface apparatus, wherein the electrical device is a broadcast receiving apparatus that displays an image of a received program on a monitor, the user information storage unit stores user information that is peculiar to a user of the broadcast receiving apparatus, and the user interface unit provides the user interface by displaying an image on the monitor for having the user designate one out of the actions that have been predicted by the predicting unit may be used as the user interface in a broadcast receiving apparatus. As a result, the user may easily have the broadcast receiving apparatus execute a recommendable action by pressing a button image and the like on the monitor in the broadcast receiving apparatus, which representing the recommendable action, via an input device such as a remote controller. Here, recommendable actions include channel switch to a program that meets the user tastes.
The user interface apparatus, that may further include: a program table storage unit for storing a program table including information on a plurality of programs; and a user information receiving unit for receiving input of the user information by the user and for storing the user information in the user information storage unit, wherein the user information is program taste information that shows tastes of the user relating to programs, and the user interface unit refers to the program table and the program taste information, detects a program that meets the tastes of the user other than a program that the broadcast receiving apparatus is presently receiving, and displays an image on the monitor for having the user designate an execution of an action of switching a received object of the broadcast receiving apparatus to the detected program may be equipped with a user interface with which the switch to a program that meets the tastes of the user of a broadcast receiving apparatus on a channel other than a presently selected channel may be executed. As a result, the user may not miss a favorite program during watching another program and may start watching the favorite program with an easy operation by inputting information on the user tastes in advance.
The user interface apparatus, that may further include program table storage unit for storing a program table including information on a plurality of programs, wherein the user information is bedtime information that shows a bedtime of the user, and the user interface unit refers to the program table and the bedtime information, compares the bedtime with a time when a program that the broadcast receiving apparatus is presently receiving ends, and displays an image on the monitor for having the user designate an execution of an action of recording the program when the program ends after the bedtime may help the user to keep a bedtime, so that the user may easily keep habitual behavior.
The user interface apparatus that may further include: a general operation receiving unit for receiving a user operation of the electrical device other than the user action designation that the user interface unit receives; a general notifying unit for notifying the electrical device of an execution instruction according to the user operation that has been received by the general operation receiving unit; and a holding unit for holding execution instruction information on the execution instruction according to the user operation that has been received by the general operation receiving unit, wherein a the predicting unit predicts actions according to the execution instruction information that is held by the holding unit may receive an ordinary operation by the user via the general operation receiving unit. As a result, the operations other than the functional actions that have been predicted to be desired by the user are operable.
In addition, the prediction of actions by the user interface apparatus according to the execution of an electrical device action that has been instructed increases the probability that the user easily designates a desired action. As a result, the user interface apparatus according to the present invention may analyze an action that would be next desired by the user following the execution of an action, fetch the content of prediction judgement by the predicting unit, and improve prediction accuracy, to provide a graphical user interface including choices with which the user may easily instruct the execution of a functional action really desired by the user.
With the user interface apparatus, wherein the predicting unit predicts actions when an execution completion of an action of the electrical device is detected, and the user interface unit provides the user interface when the predicting unit has predicted the actions, the user may generally desire to execute one functional action after the execution of a functional action. As a result, a provided user interface is useful with a high probability.
With the user interface apparatus, wherein the electrical device is a broadcast program recording and replaying apparatus that records a plurality of broadcast programs, replays a recorded broadcast program, and displays the replayed broadcast program on the monitor, when it is detected that one of a series of broadcast programs has been replayed by the broadcast program recording and replaying apparatus, the predicting unit predicts an action of replaying a next broadcast program in the series of broadcast programs as one of the predicted actions, and the user interface unit provides the user interface by displaying at least one image for having the user designate one out of the actions that have been predicted by the predicting unit, after the replaying of a program in a series of recorded programs, the user may easily instruct the broadcast program recording and replaying apparatus to replay a program that follows the replayed program.
With the user interface apparatus, wherein the predicting unit predicts actions when completions of all user operations that are necessary to have the electrical device execute one action are detected, the user may often desire to execute a functional action at the time of the completion of one user operation. As a result, the prediction of functional actions is useful with a high probability.
With the user interface apparatus, wherein when an execution of the action according to the user action designation that has been received by the user interface unit needs setting information according to a user operation, the notifying unit creates an execution instruction that includes the setting information by referring to the execution instruction information that is held by the holding unit, and notifies the electrical device of the created execution instruction it may not be necessary for the user to input again the object of functional action that has been input. This means that a system that uses the user interface apparatus according to the present invention provides a function that effectively uses information such as a functional action object that has been input by the user. For instance, when the user instructs to execute a recording function, information such as the time and date of the recording and the channel of a program, and the like is input in a recording and replaying apparatus. Such input information may be used for a function xe2x80x9cpreset for recording of next episodexe2x80x9d, and the like.
It is difficult to include a useful function such as the function xe2x80x9cpreset for recording of next episodexe2x80x9d in a conventional hierarchical menu. Even if such a function is included in a hierarchical menu, it is difficult for the user to easily find the menu that includes the function. The present invention solves the problem and has the effect of providing the system with a function that is more useful to the user.
With the user interface apparatus, wherein the predicting unit includes a priority storage unit for storing priority information in which a priority is set for an action of the electrical device, and the predicting unit predicts actions, a number of which is at least one and no greater than a predetermined number, by referring to the priority information, the number of button images that are displayed as a user interface, i.e., the number of choices may be limited. As a result, the user may easily use the user interface.
With the user interface apparatus that may further include general operation receiving unit for receiving a user operation of the electrical device other than the user action designation that the user interface receives, wherein the general operation receiving unit has an operation button, which is used by the user, displays an image for assisting a user operation, and receives a user operation corresponding to the image via the operation button, and the user interface unit has a designation button, which is different from the operation button and is used by the user, and receives the user action designation via the designation button, the probability that normal operability for a user who uses no user interface is kept may increase, and different buttons may be used for a normal operation and for designating a predicted functional action. As a result, the operation is easy to understood by the user.
When the user had watched a program and temporarily switched channels during the commercials in the program, a broadcast receiving apparatus equipped with the user interface apparatus, wherein the electrical device is a broadcast receiving apparatus that displays an image of a received program on a monitor, the electrical device includes: a receiving unit for receiving a program on a channel; and a condition detection unit for detecting a condition where the receiving unit had received a program on a first channel for at least a first period, the first channel was switched to a second channel according to a user operation, and a second period has elapsed, the predicting unit predicts a switching action to the first channel as one action, an execution of which is supposed to be desired by the user when the condition is detected by the condition detection unit, the user interface unit displays an image on a monitor for having the user designate an execution of the switching action to the first channel that has been predicted by the predicting unit, and receives the user action designation, and when notified of the switching action to the first channel by the notifying unit, the broadcast receiving apparatus controls the receiving unit and has the receiving unit receive the program on the first channel may prevent the user from forgetting to switch to the originally watched program, and the user may instantly switch to the originally watched program only by selecting an image for switching channels.
With the user interface apparatus that may further include: an evaluation value storage unit for storing evaluation values that each correspond to different actions of the electrical device; a semantic relation information storage unit for storing semantic relation information on semantic relations between the actions of the electrical device and a plurality of keywords; a keyword receiving unit for receiving a designation of a keyword by the user; an initializing unit for initializing the evaluation values that are stored in the evaluation value storage unit and setting each of the evaluation values at a predetermined value; and an evaluation value increasing unit for referring to the semantic relation information and for increasing an evaluation value corresponding to an action that has a semantic relation to the keyword, the designation of which has been received by the keyword receiving unit, wherein when the keyword receiving unit receives the keyword designation, the predicting unit predicts actions by specifying a predetermined number of actions in decreasing order of evaluation value according to the evaluation values that are stored in the evaluation value storage unit, and the user interface unit provides a user interface for having the user designate one action out of the predetermined number of actions, which have been predicted by the predicting unit, it is possible to provide a graphical user interface that has a desired functional action be easily selected for a user who does not memorize a hierarchical menu structure and operates a system with which a variety of functional actions may be executed.
The user interface apparatus, wherein the keyword receiving unit receives the designation of the keyword after creating a dedicated menu for having the user designate an action of the electrical device that includes a plurality of keywords having semantic relations to at least one of the actions of the electrical device by referring to the semantic relation information and displaying the dedicated menu, and the user interface unit provides the user interface by displaying an image for having the user designate one out of the predetermined number of actions may not have the user directly input a keyword by inputting the characters but have the user select a keyword. As a result, no burden of memorization is imposed on the user.
With the user interface apparatus that may further include: a general operation receiving unit for receiving a user operation of the electrical device other than the keyword designation that the keyword receiving unit receives and the user action designation that the user interface unit receives; and a general notifying unit for notifying the electrical device of an execution instruction according to the user operation that has been received by the general operation receiving unit, wherein the general operation receiving unit has an operation button, which is used by the user, displays an image for assisting a user operation, and receives a user operation corresponding to the image via the operation button, the user interface unit has a designation button, which is different from the operation button and is used by the user, the keyword receiving unit receives the user keyword designation by the user via the designation button, and the user interface unit receives the user action designation via the designation button, the operability of normal hierarchical menus for a user who does not select using keywords may be kept, and different operation buttons may be used for selecting using keywords and for operating normal hierarchical menus. As a result, it is easy for the user to understand operations.
The above-mentioned second object may be achieved by a broadcast receiving apparatus that displays an image of a received program on a monitor, the broadcast receiving apparatus may include: an execute control unit for receiving an instruction, for controlling elements in the broadcast receiving apparatus in response to the instruction to have an action be executed; a user information storage unit for storing user information that is peculiar to a user of the broadcast receiving apparatus; a user interface unit for displaying at least one image for having the user designate an action out of at least one action, an execution of which is supposed to be desired by the user according to the user information that is stored in the user information storage unit, and for receiving a designation of the action by the user after the broadcast receiving apparatus is in a predetermined condition; and a notifying unit for notifying the execute control unit of an execution instruction relating to an action according to the user action designation that has been received by the user interface unit.
The broadcast receiving apparatus predicts actions that are supposed to be desired by the user according to the conditions peculiar to the user, and displays button images and the like on the monitor for designating a predicted recommendable action, so that the user may easily have the broadcast receiving apparatus execute a recommendable action by pressing a corresponding button image and the like via the input device such as a remote controller. As a result, the present invention provides a user interface that has not general actions but recommendable actions peculiar to the user of the broadcast receiving apparatus be designated. As a result, the second object is achieved.
The broadcast receiving apparatus that may further include a program table storage unit for storing a program table including information on a plurality of programs, wherein the user information is program taste information that shows tastes of the user relating to programs, and the user interface unit refers to the program table and the program taste information, detects a program that meets the tastes of the user other than a program that the broadcast receiving apparatus is receiving, and displays an image on the monitor for having the user designate an execution of an action of switching a received object of the broadcast receiving apparatus to the detected program may be equipped with a user interface with which the switch to a program that meets the tastes of the user on a channel other than a presently selected channel may be executed. As a result, the user may not miss a favorite program during watching another program and may start watching the favorite program with an easy operation.
The user of the broadcast receiving apparatus that may further include a user information receiving unit for receiving the user information input by the user and for storing the user information in the user information storage unit may have the broadcast receiving device execute an action that meets the taste of the user by inputting information on the user tastes in advance.
The user of the broadcast receiving apparatus that may further include a received program information obtaining unit for obtaining information on the received program by referring to the program table, and for storing the obtained information in the user information storage unit as the program taste information may not miss a program that is watched every week and watch another program, and may start watching the every-week-watched program with an easy operation.
The broadcast receiving apparatus that may further include a program table storage unit for storing a program table including information on a plurality of programs, wherein the user information is bedtime information that shows a bedtime of the user, and the user interface unit refers to the program table and the bedtime information, compares the bedtime with a time when a presently received program ends, and displays an image on the monitor for having the user designate an execution of an action of recording the presently received program when the program ends after the bedtime may help the user to keep a bedtime, so that the user may easily keep habitual behavior.
The broadcast receiving apparatus that may further include a temporary storage unit for temporarily storing data on the received program, wherein when notified of an execution instruction for the action of recording the received program by the notifying unit, the execute control unit has a recording unit in the broadcast receiving apparatus record the received program from a part that has been received before a notification of the execute instruction for the action of recording using the data stored in the temporary storage unit may record a program from a part that has been received before a notification of the execute instruction for the recording. As a result, the user may watch a recorded program with less troublesome at a future time.
The broadcast receiving apparatus, wherein an image that the user interface unit displays includes an image that shows a reason why an action is predicted may add a reason to a button image and the like displayed on the monitor for having the user designate an action. As a result, the user may understand the meaning of a button image without confused by the sudden appearance of the button image.
When the user had watched a program and temporarily switched channels during the commercials in the program, a broadcast receiving apparatus that displays a received image on a monitor, the broadcast receiving apparatus may include: a receiving unit for receiving a program on a channel; a condition detection unit for detecting a condition in which the receiving unit had received a program on a first channel for at least a first period, the first channel was switched according to a user operation, and a second period has elapsed; a user interface unit for displaying an image on the monitor in order to have a user designate an execution of a switching action to the first channel when the condition detection unit detects the condition, and for receiving a designation by the user; and a reception control unit for controlling the receiving unit and for having the receiving unit receive the program on the first channel when the user interface unit receives the designation by the user may prevent the user from forgetting to switch to the originally watched program, and the user may instantly switch to the originally watched program only by selecting an image for switching channels.
The broadcast receiving apparatus, wherein the image that the user interface unit displays includes an image showing that the second period has elapsed since the first channel was switched may add a reason to a button image and the like displayed on the monitor for having the user designate an action. As a result, the user may understand the meaning of a button image without confused by the sudden appearance of the button image.